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<img src =/Jim1999.jpg>

Hi Bob,
I had my office in the church once in my lifetime. It lasted about one month.

I was an early morning and late night person and found it more convenient to have everything at home.

Counselling was also done at home. I liked to have a witness "hanging" about. One can never be too careful. It is so easy for rumours to start.

In the back of my mind, was the story about G. Campbell Morgan when he was a young minister in London, England. He was asked by a loving mother if he would pay a visit to her daughter. She was in the Soho district (prostitutes). He thought nothing of it and paid the call. Sadly, he was seen and the rumours began. It almost destroyed a ministry,,,,need I repeat what he accomplished over his lifetime?

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New Member

I have a study at the church, which is where most of my library is as well, but over the last several years I have been working out of my study at home. I also do almost all of my counseling at home. Since I will only counsel women with my wife, this works out really well. I also do all premarital and marital counseling with my wife, and since most of this counseling has to be done in the evenings I have found I can spend more time with the family by working out of the home. We homeschool our children also, so that I can easily make time with them in most every day. I am blessed with the flexibilty to arrange my scedule to balance well my pastoral and family obligations. The elders are also very supportive of this approach.

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Administrator

Administrator

Have you found that counseling in the home is more convenient or more productive or both. I've always felt that I can better control the session in my office with less distraction. The counselee may, IMO, feel more intrusive at the home rather than at the office. Like they are taking away your family time.

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New Member

You raise some good points, but I have never had any problem with counseling out of my home. My children are always told to stay in our basement family room when we are in a meeting and are not allowed to come upstairs without a loud knock on the basement door. If they were younger this could be a problem, I suppose, but we have had no problems with this setup. And my children have never been privy to any information they should not have. If someone were to be uncomfortable with such an arrangement, we would simply change it, perhaps by getting a sitter and meeting at the other person's house or at the church office. Up to now, however, there has been no problem. I think it has been a way of emphasizing a more relational and less clinical approach to counseling.

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Administrator

Administrator

The church recently built a large study as part of the church facilities. I use that and keep my library there. It works okay. I have a study at home as well in a spare bedroom. I used to prefer having the study at home, but it became too convenient for me. I'd walk by and see some work on my desk and the next thing you know, I've done a couple hours work on something when I should've been spending time with my wife who works outside the home. When I'm at home, I need to be at home. Therefore, most of my work is done in my study at home. If it ever became a hindrance, I'd take it back home.

As for conseling, I don't do it at home. Since my wife works during the day, it's better to do it at the study at church.

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New Member

Currently my ofice is at the church as there is no room at my home. If I do move it to the home sometime in the future I will put in in an area where I will need to go out of my way to get to it. Otherwise I am sure I would spend most of my time there.

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